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John Fricker
| cityofbirth = East Bay | countryofbirth = St. Gregory | dateofdeath = | cityofdeath = | countryofdeath = | height = | position = Midfielder | currentclub = Manorham | clubnumber = 24 | youthyears = 1999-2003 2003-2005 | youthclubs = Germania SGFASOE | years = 2005-2008 2005-2006 2008- 2015-2016 | clubs = Otway Town → Highlanders (loan) Manorham → West Ham United (loan) | caps(goals) = | nationalyears = 2004-2006 2009- | nationalteam = St. Gregory (U20) St. Gregory | nationalcaps(goals) = | manageryears = | managerclubs = }}John Timothy Fricker (born January 15, 1987) is a Gregorian footballer who plays as a central and attacking midfielder for League A club Manorham, as well as the St. Gregory national team. Early life and youth career Fricker was born in East Bay to Scott and Louise (née Brodie). While he began playing football at age 7 in a youth league in nearby Port Charlotte, he showed little interest in taking the game seriously and instead had aspirations of being a musician, often skipping training to practice the guitar. At age 12, Fricker was invited by Frank Guest, a former player-turned-coach at amateur club Germania, to join that club's youth system the following season. Fricker accepted Guest's offer and began playing for Germania's under-13 team in 1999. After four years at Germania in which he won three local youth championships at under-13 and under-15 level, catching the attention of scouts in the process, Fricker successfully applied to the SGFA School of Excellence in 2003. He earned his high school degree through the SGFASOE and, following the 2004-05 season, was sought after by several clubs. Club career Otway Town and Highlanders loan After meeting with several clubs after leaving the School of Excellence, Fricker signed a three-year contract with Otway Town, who had been relegated following the 2004-05 League A season. At his official introduction to Otway Town on June 14, 2005, Fricker told reporters that he felt joining a League B club would allow him more chances at immediate playing time at the senior level, however the club loaned him out to Highlanders on June 20, less than a week later. In March 2006, Highlanders agreed to an early termination of the loan and allow Fricker to finish the 2005-06 League B season at Otway Town as the club battled for a return to League A. He appeared in six of the team's last seven games of the season, all but one as a substitute. Manorham Fricker signed with Manorham on July 21, 2008. He spent much of the 2008-09 season as a substitute but had found a place in the starting lineup by the end of the season. Fricker was named club captain prior to the 2012-13 season. Disciplinary problems plagued Fricker throughout the 2013-14 season. Despite scoring 7 goals, his 8 missed games through suspension for yellow or red card accumulation were the most by any player in League A. Nevertheless, Fricker was named to the 2014 SGFA All-Star Game at the end of the season. West Ham United .]] On July 13, 2015, Fricker announced through his Facebook page that he had joined Premier League club West Ham United on a one-year loan, through that club's affiliation with Manorham. Both clubs confirmed the move via social media later in the day. Fricker initially struggled to break into a loaded midfield at West Ham, but the departures of several other players at his position including Kevin Nolan, allowed him to see more playing time in November and December. On December 15, 2015, the Cape Wells Daily Herald newspaper reported that Fricker could leave West Ham early and return to Manorham, following the Gregorian club terminating the contract of Sierra Leonean midfielder Ali Kamara. Fricker initially denied the report on Twitter but later deleted the tweet. Return to Manorham On January 21, 2016, West Ham agreed to terminate the loan, allowing Fricker to return to Manorham. He was named in the lineup as a substitute for Manorham's January 23 match against Banks City and came on in the second half, replacing Sean Nash. Fricker had two shots saved late in the match, which finished 1-1. Fricker opened the 2016-17 League A season by scoring in the 89th minute of a 1-0 win over Midland International on October 1, 2016. Style of play Fricker is known as a tough but creative midfielder, capable of both setting up and scoring goals due to his accurate passing and powerful shooting, especially from long range. He typically plays as an attacking midfielder in a number 10 role but can also play centrally or on the right side. Personal life Along with his good friend and Manorham teammate Ben Hilbert, Fricker hosted a podcast from 2013 to 2015 called Frick n' Hil, where the two players (and frequent guests) discussed upcoming matches around St. Gregory, news from the Manorham club and a variety of other topics. Fricker has continued to play both guitar and bass since childhood, calling music his "place to go" as a means of relaxation both during the season and outside of it. He is an avid fan of punk rock and has several tattoos with references to his favorite artists and song lyrics. Despite being considered an outgoing and charismatic figure off the pitch, Fricker is also known for keeping his personal life private and rarely discusses his relationships or non-football topics with the press. Business career In 2015, Fricker and two other investors established East Bay Knights F.C., who began play in the SGFA Amateur Leagues in 2015-16. The club's name is a reference to the Rancid song "East Bay Night". Category:Player pages Category:Manorham F.C. players Category:Otway Town F.C. players Category:Highlanders F.C. players Category:Germania F.C. players Category:SGFA School of Excellence alumni Category:St. Gregory national team players Category:St. Gregory national youth team players Category:SGFA All-Stars players Category:People from East Bay